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NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Review

NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Initial Setup:

Now that we're done analyzing the packaging and craftsmanship for the SHIELD Tablet and its companions, it's time to turn this bad boy on. To turn on the device, you simply hold down the power button for a few seconds until you're greeted with the NVIDA logo in the center of the screen, with "powered by android" at the bottom.

If this is the first time turning the tablet on, either out of the box or after a factory reset, you'll have to go through some initial setup routines before you can utilize it. If you've used any Android device in the past, the setup should be familiar. It starts with selecting a language, then selecting a Wi-Fi network to connect to, and then choosing whether to log into a Google account. If you do choose to log into a Google account, you're then presented with some Google Services options before one last SHIELD-specific step, accepting NVIDIA's Software License Agreement and Privacy Policy. Assuming you remember your Wi-Fi network and Google account passwords, the setup should be quick and easy.

When you're done with that initial setup, you're presented with three "Get to Know Your SHIELD Tablet" tutorial screens. The first screen introduces the NVIDIA DirectStylus and informs you that removing the stylus from its slot opens the DirectStylus Launcher. The second screen introduces the SHIELD Hub, which "is the place to find new games, launch games optimized for your Tegra-powered device, and stream games from your GeForce GTX PC." The third screen is more of an advertisement than a tutorial, introducing the SHIELD Wireless Controller and informing you that connecting one to your tablet will provide the "ultimate gaming experience."

After you're done breezing through those three screens, you're presented with some brief tutorials standard with Android devices, like telling you to touch the circle with the six squares inside to see all your apps, and then explaining how to add your favorite apps to the home screen. Curious about the "NVIDIA" icon on the home screen, clicking it presented me with a further tutorial-like screen that described how folders work. Out of the box, the SHIELD Tablet contains two folders: a Google one for Google-related apps, and an NVIDIA one that contains SHIELD Hub, NVIDIA Dabbler, SHIELD Wireless Controller, and SHIELD Console Mode.

That's pretty much it as far as an initial setup goes. Any time you do something new for the first time, you're presented with similar tutorial-like screens, but other than that, you're pretty much set to go at this point. For me, that meant checking settings and checking for a software update – and lo and behold, there was indeed an OTA (over-the-air) SHIELD Tablet Software Upgrade for me to grab and install.